Jennifer McAllister joins the Housing Assistance Council as Development Manager

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Contact: Dan Stern
202-842-8600
dan@ruralhome.org

Jennifer McCallisterJennifer McAllisterWashington, DC, May 15, 2019 – The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) is pleased to announce that Jennifer McAllister will join HAC as its first Development Manager. She .

Jennifer joins HAC with nearly 15 years of experience raising funds and creating lasting partnerships for national nonprofits. Most recently she led NeighborWorks America’s Resource Development Division, overseeing its daily operations and managing national partnerships. She also championed efforts to grow the fundraising capacity of the local community development organizations that make up the NeighborWorks network. Prior to that, Jennifer served as Director of Corporate Development at Manna, Inc., where she led all fundraising and communications efforts for the organization, including corporate and foundation partnership development, individual donor engagement and solicitation, and managed a revolving loan fund. Jennifer is a Pennsylvania native and received her undergraduate degree from Temple University.

“I am delighted that Jennifer will join the HAC team. She has a well-earned reputation among the funders and supporters of community development for her honest and thoughtful approach and dedication to mission,” said HAC CEO David Lipsetz.

About the Housing Assistance Council
The Housing Assistance Council helps build homes and communities across rural America. Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., HAC is a national nonprofit and a certified community development financial institution dedicated to helping local rural organizations build affordable homes by providing below-market financing, technical assistance, training, research, and information services. To learn more, visit www.ruralhome.org.

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Housing Assistance Council to receive $20,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

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Contact: Dan Stern
202-842-8600
dan@ruralhome.org

Washington, DC, February 14, 2019 – The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) is among organizations and individuals receiving funding as part of the Arts Endowment’s first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019. This Art Works grant of $20,000 will allow HAC to work with local partners and engage visual artists to create a new collection of photos for exhibition, building on and celebrating the legacy of renowned social photographer George Ballis. Art Works is the Arts Endowment’s principal grantmaking program.

George Ballis spent his career advocating for and chronicling vulnerable populations across the United States and around the world. His work with Cesar Chavez helped build the impetus for the creation of the first farmworker housing programs. HAC will use the grant funds to revisit some of the locations where Ballis originally worked and engage a new generation of visual artists to build on Ballis For more information on this National Endowment for the Arts grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

“The arts enhance our communities and our lives, and we look forward to seeing these projects take place throughout the country, giving Americans opportunities to learn, to create, to heal, and to celebrate,” said Mary Anne Carter, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

“George Ballis was a skilled photographer and equally adept at advocating for persistently poor rural populations and communities,” said HAC CEO David Lipsetz. “His photos and his partnership with Cesar Chavez helped illustrate dire housing conditions for farmworkers in the late 1960s and early 1970s, galvanizing support for this vulnerable population. HAC’s early work intersected with Ballis and HAC is excited to partner with the National Endowment for the Arts to create and display new art rooted in Ballis’ still-timely body of work.”

About the Housing Assistance Council
The Housing Assistance Council helps build homes and communities across rural America. Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., HAC is a national nonprofit and a certified community development financial institution dedicated to helping local rural organizations build affordable homes by providing below-market financing, technical assistance, training, research, and information services. To learn more, visit www.ruralhome.org.

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Housing Assistance Council Names Eileen Neely Director of Lending

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Contact: Dan Stern
202-842-8600
dan@ruralhome.org

Housing Assistance Council Names Eileen Neely Director of Lending

Eileen will manage HAC’s multi-million-dollar loan funds and investment in rural communities.

Washington, DC, February 4, 2019 – The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) is pleased to announce that Eileen Neely is joining HAC as the new Director of Lending. Eileen brings 30 years of experience in finance and impact investment. She will be the entrepreneurial leader and manager of HAC’s lending and community investment functions that provide low-cost capital to local nonprofits, for-profits and local governments developing affordable housing in rural communities throughout the United States.

Eileen joins HAC after working as a consultant for housing and impact investment organizations across the country. Prior to that she served as the Director of Capital Innovation at Living Cities, the Director of Strategy for the District of Columbia Housing Authority, the COO of the Fresno Housing Authority, and Director of Public Entity Lending at Fannie Mae.

“We are thrilled to bring Eileen on board as part of the HAC team,” said HAC CEO David Lipsetz. “Our loan fund is a critical tool for building the capacity of rural organizations, and I am pleased to see it in such capable hands.”

To learn more about the HAC Loan Fund, visit www.ruralhome.org/lending.

About the Housing Assistance Council
The Housing Assistance Council helps build homes and communities across rural America. Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., HAC is a national nonprofit and a certified community development financial institution dedicated to helping local rural organizations build affordable homes by providing below-market financing, technical assistance, training, research, and information services. To learn more, visit www.ruralhome.org.

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Solutions to rural poverty the focus of HAC Rural Housing Conference

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Contact: Dan Stern
(202) 842-8600
dan@ruralhome.org

Over 600 rural builders and advocates gather in Washington, DC

Washington, DC, December 17, 2018 – Over 600 stakeholders from 48 state who work in the field of rural community development came together recently for two-and-a-half days at the Housing Assistance Council‘s (HAC) 2018 National Rural Housing Conference. Attendees from local nonprofits, federal agencies, Congress, state and local governments, and other industry leaders met to learn, discuss, and network in support of affordable housing and building rural prosperity.

The Conference featured over 40 workshops where participants learned best practices for rural housing development, organizational management, and resource development, as well as innovative approaches to housing and community development. The event included a pre-Conference day packed with gatherings for coalitions, associations, and working groups.

Participants heard from Federal Reserve Board of Governors chairman Jerome Powell, who revealed the central bank’s growing focus on communities that have been left out of the overall economic expansion. Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) also addressed the conference and called for her colleagues to work alongside her and community developers from across the country who want to improve rural areas.

“We love hosting the Rural Housing Conference every two years,”” said HAC CEO David Lipsetz. “It brings over 600 local leaders and practitioners together to learn from each other and share our passion for building better rural communities. We hope everyone goes home with new ideas for their work, and that they are excited to work with HAC to make them a reality!”

For more information on the HAC Conference, download the HAC Trainings App, access photos from the event here, visit HAC’s YouTube channel where content from the Conference will be posted, and check back with www.ruralhome.org for any additional updates about HAC and the Rural Housing Conference.

About the Housing Assistance Council
The Housing Assistance Council helps build homes and communities across rural America. Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., HAC is a national nonprofit and a certified community development financial institution dedicated to helping local rural organizations build affordable homes by providing below-market financing, technical assistance, training, research, and information services. To learn more, visit www.ruralhome.org.

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Rural Veterans and Local Nonprofits Receive Housing Support

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Funded by The Home Depot Foundation

Washington, D.C., September 21, 2018 – Veterans and their families in eleven rural communities will have better lives, thanks to The Home Depot Foundation and the Housing Assistance Council. The Foundation is awarding grants totaling $306,500 to eleven local nonprofit housing associations around the country to build or preserve housing for veterans in rural America.

The funds are part of The Home Depot Foundation’s Veteran Housing Grants Program, which wascreated to support the development and repair of housing for veterans. Too many American veterans and their families face major housing challenges, aggravated by issues like unemployment, age and service-related disabilities. The Home Depot Foundation is dedicated to giving back to those who have already given so much for our country.

As part of its Affordable Housing for Rural Veterans Initiative, the Housing Assistance Council (HAC) works with The Foundation to administer these grants. “Rural America is home to a disproportionately higher number of service women and men who have earned and deserve a decent, affordable place to call home,” said David Lipsetz, HAC’s CEO. “HAC is proud to continue its partnership with The Home Depot Foundation in its effort to support local nonprofit groups to ensure that veterans in rural America receive much deserved housing assistance.” HAC builds the capacity of local housing nonprofits to assist more veterans and others in their communities.

The grantee organizations – described below – provide a range of programs. With the grants, veterans who own homes in Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, Ohio and Tennessee, will obtain shelter and critical repair assistance. In addition, new housing units will be constructed for six veterans in Arizona. Altogether, more than 80 veterans and their families will benefit from these grants.

About The Home Depot Foundation
The Home Depot Foundation works to improve the homes and lives of U.S. veterans, train skilled tradespeople to fill the labor gap and support communities impacted by natural disasters. Since 2011, the Foundation has invested a quarter of a billion dollars in veteran-related causes and improved more than 40,000 veteran homes and facilities in 2,500 cities. In 2018, the Foundation committed an additional $50 million dollars to train 20,000 skilled tradespeople over the next 10 years starting with separating military members and veterans, at-risk youth and members of the Atlanta Westside community. To learn more about The Home Depot Foundation and see Team Depot in action, visit thd.co/community and follow us on Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram @teamdepot and on Facebook at facebook.com/teamdepot.


About the Grantees

  • Catholic Charities, Inc,in Phoenix, AZ will use $30,000 to leverage the construction of six (6) transitional units in Mohave County. For additional information about Catholic Charities visit catholiccharitiesaz.org.
  • Crystal Towers Women’s and Children’s Shelter, in Sandusky, Ohio will utilize $6,500 to support the construstion of six (6) single family veteran homes in Huron County. For additional information about Crystal Towers Women’s and Children’s Shelter visit www.facebook.com/crystaltower.
  • Green House Ministries, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee will utilize $30,000 to perform critical repairs on eight (8) veteran-owned homes in rural Tennessee. For additional information about Green House Ministries, visit greenhousemin.org.
  • Jerry Ambrose Veteran Council, in Kingman, AZ will utilize $30,000 to support the repair and rehabilitation of a 12-unit transitional housing complex in rural Arizona . For additonal information about Jerry Abmrose Veterans Council, visit www.javc.org.
  • Magnolia Community Development Corporation (CDC), in Opelousas, Louisiana, will leverage $30,000 to perform critical homeowner repairs on seven (7) veteran homes St. Landry and Lafayette Parishes. For additional information about Magnolia CDC, visit magnoliacdc.org.
  • Mountain T.O.P., Inc.,in Altamont, Tennessee, will utilize $30,000 to support critical rehabilitaiton and repairs on four (4) veteran single-family housing units in Grundy County. For additional information about Mountain T.O.P., Inc., visit mountain-top.org.
  • New Foundation Development, Inc., in Calhoun, Georgia will utilize $30,000 to support the rehabilitation and repairs to three (3) veteran single-family housing units in Gordon County. For additional information about New Foundatoin Devep, visit NFDinc.org.
  • Northwest Regional Housing Authority, Harrison, Arkansas, will utilize $30,000 to perform homeowner repairs on 14 single-family veteran homes throughout its three-county service area. For additional information about Northwest Regional Housing Authority, visit nwregionalhousing.org.
  • Tierra del Sol Housing Development Corporation (TDS) in Las Cruces, New Mexico, will utilize $30,000 to support the rehabilitation of 10 single-family housing units throughout its seven county service area. For more information about TDS, visit tdshc.org.
  • Veterans & Community Housing Coalition (VCHC), in Ballston Spa, NY will utilize $30,000 to support critical repairs to 11 units of transitional housing in Saratoga County. For more informaiton about VCHC, visit www.vchcny.org.
  • White Mountain Apache Housing Authority, in Whiteriver, Arizona, will utilize $30,000 to repair three (3) veteran homes on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. For more information about White Mountain Apache Housing Authority visit wmahousingauthority.org.

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HAC Awards $2,250,000 for Affordable Rental Housing in Louisiana

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Contact: James McGraw, james@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600
Dan Stern, dan@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600

Washington, DC, August 17, 2018 – The Housing Assistance Council (HAC), in conjunction with the Louisiana Housing Corporation, is partnering with Noah Arc Community Development Corporation, Inc. (NACD) to build 18 affordable rental homes in Minden, Webster Parish, Louisiana. HAC will finance this project using its Rural Housing Loan Fund.

NACD’s mission is to provide affordable housing for faith-based organizations. NACD has provided development consulting on approximately 10 affordable housing projects located throughout California, Louisiana, and Texas. The HAC Loan Funds will be used in the development of the Noah Arc Townhome Project. The first phase, Mindenville Homes , will consist of eighteen 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom townhome style affordable rental units contained within six buildings. All homes will feature energy efficient appliances and low flow bathroom fixtures. Construction will begin in Fall of 2018.

“HAC is pleased to team up with Noah Arc Community Development Corporation, Inc. and continue our commitment to working in the Delta,” says David Lipsetz, HAC’s CEO. “We are thrilled to bring NACD into our community of partner organizations working to develop affordable housing across the United States.”

HAC’s Loan Fund makes short-term loans at below market interest rates to local nonprofits, for-profits, and government entities developing affordable housing for low-income rural residents throughout the United States and territories. Loans from these funds are used for a wide variety of housing development purposes, for all types of affordable and mixed income housing projects, and for both rental and ownership units. For more information, contact James McGraw at 202- 842-8600 or visit www.ruralhome.org/lending.

About the Housing Assistance Council
The Housing Assistance Council helps build homes and communities across rural America. Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., HAC is a national nonprofit and a certified community development financial institution dedicated to helping local rural organizations build affordable homes by providing below-market financing, technical assistance, training, research, and information services. To learn more, visit www.ruralhome.org.

HAC research explores the possibilities for improved mortgage finance on reservations

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Contact: Christina Davila, christinad@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600
Dan Stern, dan@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600

Washington, D.C., May 22, 2018- HAC’s recently released rural research report, Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities for Mortgage Finance in Indian Country, confirms mortgage lending activity is limited on many reservations and explores possible solutions to addressing the issues. The current lending conditions on many reservation lands include low origination rates, high denial rates, and involve a high proportion of loans for manufactured homes.

The report provides a sweeping picture of the mortgage market on reservations, where:

  • Fewer than 1,000 mortgage loans are made annually
  • Nearly half of mortgage loan applications are denied annually
  • Almost one-fifth of homes are manufactured homes
  • Two of the 20 largest-volume lenders are Native-owned institutions

Considering the findings in this report, HAC recommends that efforts to address the challenges of mortgage lending on reservations include improvements in education of lenders and borrowers, expanding the capacity of tribes, small lenders, and federal regulators, better targeted financial policies, and increased access to data.

“HAC is proud to present this report said David Lipsetz, HAC’s Executive Director. “This report improves our understanding of mortgage lending on tribal reservations and for Native American people, and we look forward to expanding our efforts to better serve organizations providing housing on tribal lands. HAC would like to thank the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation for their support of this research.”

“This report is a great resource for anyone working in housing on reservations,’ said Marvin Ginn, Executive Director of Native Community Finance based in Laguna, New Mexico. “It illustrates the challenges we face as housers for Native American populations, and provides recommendations that can help ease those challenges. This sort of research can help us better target our efforts and improve our work on reservations.”

HAC will present a more detailed analysis of the findings, and how they impact real-world practitioners in a webinar training on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 2 PM Eastern.

About the Housing Assistance Council
The Housing Assistance Council helps build homes and communities across rural America. Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., HAC is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping local rural organizations build affordable homes by providing below-market financing, technical assistance, training, research, and information services. To learn more, visit www.ruralhome.org.
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HUD Awards $1 Million to the Housing Assistance Council

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The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) just announced a $1 million Rural Capacity Building award to the Housing Assistance Council. HAC will leverage its $1 million award with private investments to assist nearly 20 rural communities create, preserve, repair or rehabilitate a projected 750 units of housing and support 600 jobs.

David Lipsetz Named Next Housing Assistance Council Executive Director

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Contact: Dan Stern, dan@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600

Lipsetz-7237-smallWashington, DC: October 12, 2017 – The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) Board of Directors has named David Lipsetz as the organization’s next Executive Director. Lipsetz will replace Moises Loza, who is retiring on November 1, 2017 after more than 40 years at HAC. Founded in 1971, HAC is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected nonprofit organizations serving the housing needs of rural America and its residents. David becomes only the fourth Executive Director to lead the Housing Assistance Council.

“HAC is excited about this next chapter of our journey. We’re very blessed by the contributions that Moises Loza has given HAC,” said Andrew Bias of Wichita, Kansas, chair of HAC’s board of directors. “Thousands of lives in rural communities are better because of HAC’s involvement and support. HAC welcomes David on board to continue on this journey with the full backing and encouragement of our board of directors and staff.”

Lipsetz comes to HAC having held several senior positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, most recently as the Associate Administrator of USDA’s Rural Housing Service. He has also managed affordable housing programs in New York City and Oakland, California. David was born and raised in Ohio, and began his career on Capitol Hill as a legislative aide to Michigan Congressman John Dingell. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, and Master’s degrees in both Sociology and City and Regional Planning from the Ohio State University.

“I am honored to step into this new role,” Lipsetz said. “Moises Loza leaves an unparalleled legacy, having guided HAC to be the highly regarded and effective organization it is. HAC is needed now more than ever, as a lender helping to develop affordable housing in underserved rural markets, and as a national voice for including rural communities in America’s plans for a vibrant and prosperous future.”

It has been an honor for me to serve the people of rural America over these last 40 years,” Moises Loza stated. “Rural Americans have a special strength, but also face particular challenges that require rural solutions rather than urban approaches. I am so pleased to be able to leave HAC’s work in David’s capable hands. I can’t wait to see what HAC does next!”

The Housing Assistance Council is a national nonprofit and Community Development Financial Institution that helps build homes and communities across rural America. HAC provides technical assistance, financial products, and research and information services, with an emphasis on serving the poorest of the poor in the most rural places.

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Rural Veterans and Local Nonprofits Receive Housing Aid

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homedepotfoundlogoReturn to Press Releases

Contact: Dan Stern, dan@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600 ext. 137
Janice Clark, janice@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600 ext. 131

Rural Veterans and Local Nonprofits Receive Housing Aid

Awards Funded by the Housing Assistance Council and The Home Depot Foundation

Washington, D.C., May 9, 2013 – Life will improve for 100 veterans and their families in nine rural communities around the country, thanks to awards given by the Housing Assistance Council with the support of The Home Depot Foundation. HAC is awarding grants totaling $265,000 to nine local nonprofit housing associations to build or preserve housing for veterans in rural America.

“A disproportionately high number of rural Americans have served in the armed forces” said Moises Loza, HAC’s executive director, “and they deserve to have decent, affordable homes. HAC is proud to partner with The Home Depot Foundation and local nonprofit groups to ensure that they do.”

As part of its Affordable Housing for Rural Veterans Initiative, HAC will provide not only grants, but also training, research, and other assistance to rural nonprofits that serve veterans. HAC builds the capacity of local housing nonprofits to help more veterans and others in their communities.

The grantee organizations – described below – provide a range of programs. With the HAC grants, veterans who own homes in Maine, Washington, and Tennessee will receive home repair funds. Veterans in Texas will be able to help build their own new homes. New apartments will be constructed for homeless veterans in Florida. Altogether, nearly 100 veterans and their families will benefit from these grants.

“The Home Depot Foundation is committed to ensuring that every veteran has a safe place to call home,” said Kelly Caffarelli, President of The Home Depot Foundation. “We recognize the great need that exists in rural areas and are proud to partner with the Housing Assistance Council in our efforts to give back to those men and women who have so bravely served our country.”

About the Housing Assistance Council
Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Housing Assistance Council is a national nonprofit corporation dedicated to helping local organizations build affordable homes in rural America by providing below-market financing, technical assistance, research, training, and information services. HAC’s programs focus on local solutions, empowerment, reduced dependency, and self-help strategies. HAC is an equal opportunity lender. To learn more, see http://ruralhome.org/veterans.

2013 Affordable Housing for Rural Veterans
About the Grantees

  • Ability Housing of Northeast Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, will use $28,000 to support the development of eight units of permanent supportive housing for homeless veterans that live in Duval and Nassau Counties. More information about Ability Housing is available at www.abilityhousing.org.
  • Western Maine Community Action (WMCA) in East Wilton, Maine, will use $28,000 to support a home repair program for rural veterans in Franklin County. Up to ten veterans and their families will have their homes made safe and affordable through WMCA’s repair program. More information about WMCA can be found at https://wmca.org.
  • Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency (NMCAA) in Traverse City, Michigan, will use $28,000 to assist five veterans and their families in Northwest Lower Michigan with home repairs. NMCAA’s home repair loan fund offers a zero interest deferred loan for veteran homeowners. More information about NMCAA can be found at www.nmcaa.net.
  • Community Action Network (CAN) in Paris, Tennessee, will use $24,000 to support ten veterans and their families in Henry, Benton, and Carroll counties. CAN will provide home repair, accessibility modification, and energy conservation upgrade support using its volunteer-based home repair program. For more information about CAN visit www.canhomes.org.
  • Proyecto Azteca in San Juan, Texas, will use $28,000 to support a sweat equity homeownership program for five veteran families in Hidalgo County. Each family is required to contribute their own labor to help build their home. This labor significantly reduces the cost of the units, making them affordable to the low-income veteran participants. For more information about this program visit https://www.proyectoazteca.com/.
  • Rebuilding Together Roanoke in Roanoke, Virginia, will use $28,000 to support a home repair program for rural veterans in five Appalachian Virginia counties. Up to six veterans’ households will be provided targeted safety and energy improvements of their homes. More information about Rebuilding Together can be found at www.rebuildingtogetherroanoke.com.
  • Kitsap Community Resources in Bremerton, Washington, will use $28,000 to support a home repair program for rural veterans in Kitsap County. Up to seven veterans’ households will be provided with domestic home repairs, accessibility, and energy conservation measures. More information about Kitsap Community Resources can be found at www.kcr.org.
  • Couleecap in Westby, Wisconsin, will use $20,000 to support the development of rental housing for rural veterans in Monroe, Vernon, La Crosse, and Crawford Counties. At least four units of supportive housing will be developed for homeless veterans and up to three units of affordable housing will be developed for veteran families. More information about Couleecap can be found at www.couleecap.org.
  • Southern Appalachian Labor School (SALS) in Kincaid, West Virginia, will use $28,000 to support multiple repair and development projects in Fayette County. Up to 28 veterans and their families will benefit from their programs. For more information about SALS visit www.sals.info.

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